[expo-notifications] Notifications.requestPermissionsAsync doesn't show permissions prompt

[alexanderdavide]

Hi,

using the code from Push Notifications Overview, I assume Notifications.requestPermissionsAsync() to show a prompt requesting permissions as described by the docs. Against my expectations, no prompt is shown.

What also is strange to me, the docs claim the following which is not true in my experiments:

Additionally, when calling Notifications.requestPermissionsAsync() on the simulator, it will resolve immediately with undetermined as the status, regardless of whether you choose to allow or not.

The permission status is granted by default, without any prompt like explained. The only exception is API level 33 which denies the permissions by default, complying with changes since Android 13 but it neither shows a prompt.

I'm on bare workflow but still running on Expo Go. I've tried uninstalling Expo Go multiple times so there also is no initial prompt which remembers the decision. I've also ran application builds directly on the devices but it didn't make a difference. Following the devices I've tested with the respective results:

API level	Device Type	Shows permission prompt	Permission status
29	physical	no	granted
31	emulator	no	granted
32	emulator	no	granted
33	emulator	no	denied

I'm wondering if I misunderstand the concept how permissions are working here or if there's a problem with expo-notifications. I'd greatly appreciate you getting me on the right track.

[harryfino]

@alexanderdavide I'm experiencing the same thing. Have you learned anything on fixed this issue since May?

[alexanderdavide]

I haven't. I find myself in a early stage of development which is why I haven't bothered too much since then. My current targetSdkVersion is 31 and notifications are working on the devices I've tested. However, I assume that this topic will become a problem further down the line.

[viljark]

I had the same issue, I could not trigger a notification permission prompt at all with await Notifications.requestPermissionsAsync(); on Android 13.

So the workaround for me was registering the notification channel with Notifications.setNotificationChannelAsync when I needed the prompt to be displayed. I don't do any permission checking before registering the channel (as it is in the example)

[ndjerrou]

Check this code :

import AsyncStorage from '@react-native-async-storage/async-storage';
import * as Notifications from 'expo-notifications';
import { useEffect } from 'react';
import { StyleSheet, Text, View } from 'react-native';

Notifications.setNotificationChannelAsync('default', {
  name: 'default',
  importance: Notifications.AndroidImportance.MAX,
  vibrationPattern: [0, 250, 250, 250],
  lightColor: '#FF231F7C',
});

export default function App() {
  const askPermission = async () => {
    const { status } = await Notifications.requestPermissionsAsync();
    console.log(status);
  };

  useEffect(() => {
    askPermission();
  }, []);


  AsyncStorage.getAllKeys().then((keys) => console.log('', keys));

  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      <Text>Testing Permissions...</Text>
    </View>
  );
}

No prompt is coming, using my phone as an emulator on Android :(

[viljark]

Push notifications don't work in simulators. You have to use real device.

https://docs.expo.dev/versions/latest/sdk/notifications/#api

[ndjerrou]

My phone is considerated as a real device no?

Using expo go

[viljark]

Oh, understood you wrong. Verify you don't have notifications disabled in app settings. You could also build an apk to check if has the same issue. Expo go sometimes behaves differently than built apk.

[rikur]

Having the same issue on Android 13 devices. The permission popup only shows up after the app is killed and opened again.

My workaround is to not ask for permission for Android 13 devices for the time being as the notifications work without it.

[gustavoccintrao]

I'm having this issue on iOS too, no prompt is show, any help? SDK 44.

[ndjerrou]

It works like a charm in IOS. Did u use requestPermissionsAsync ?

[gustavoccintrao]

Yes, I’m using requestPermissionsAsync. I logged the “{status}” and received an insta denied. Replacing the “{status}” for a simple “result” const to check the other properties led me to find that canAskAgain is false. It seems that if you already disabled notifications once in iOS you can’t reset the status to show the prompt without uninstalling Expo and installing it again.

[viljark]

There are 2 UX workarounds I have used in similar cases.

First option is to display your own dialog, and if user agrees that they want notification, then request the permission. If they don't agree with your dialog, then you skip the permission asking and can re-trigger it when it might make sense again and user is more willing to accept the permission.

Second workaround when canAskAgain is already false, is to display a custom prompt again with custom message and a button, which will call Linking.openURL('app-settings:'), there user can allow the notificaiton manually.

[gustavoccintrao]

I ended up using the second workaround, thanks!

[valentimcanejo]

I'm facing the same issue, I tried literally everythin and the prompt asking the user to accept notifications doesn't show, I followed the whole expo-notifications documentation and didn't work.

[mamadouD29]

Hey, guys.
did anybody find a solution or a workaround for this issue ? it is a little bit confusing to just grant the permission without user interaction.

[t0ma5h]

For me, the first time canAskAgain is true, and if you just back out from the modal on android, it turns to false, even though it shouldn't. Untill you press Don't allow, canAskAgain does not change to true even though requestPermissionsAsync opens the native modal perfectly fine. Once you press Don't allow, canAskAgain turns to true and then it works ok the second time.